Wednesday 4 July 2012

Paula Renaye - DNA Testing & The 'What If' Game


By Paula Renaye

I met a woman at a networking function who told me about a company that does DNA testing for the general public to determine your ancestry--a DNA genealogy and assessment of sorts. The technology fascinated me and I wanted to know more. 


She explained that with just a simple test--and a mail-away envelope--you could soon have your very own historical--and perhaps hysterical--record of your genological roots. Your handy dandy genetic expose' will include juicy details, such as your predominant race markers and the geographical genetic stomping grounds of your kin, clans and knuckle-draggers.


Since I know very little about my biological background, I started thinking it might be a fun thing to do. Like many adoptees--and those who are convinced they were switched at birth--I'm just sure I’m lost royalty. Before I had a chance to settle into that fantasy, however, she explained more and the DNA info dump didn't seem quite so fun anymore.


She hadn't paid several hundred dollars to discover that somewhere along the trail predominantly Asian and European ancestors had comingled with South American ones. No, she'd done it for health reasons. Huh?
She said the ancestry part was interesting, but her motivation for doing the DNA analysis was so she would know what illnesses, diseases and such that she might be genetically predisposed to. Now that she had the scientific data on all the possible things that could go wrong, she could create ways to prevent them. By knowing that 20 percent of people with one of her genetic markers got the higgly-piggly disease, she could do anti higgly-piggly things now to keep from getting it.


I admit, I was taken aback. So, let me get this straight. You're not having any health problems, but you had your DNA tested so you could get a list of things to worry about just in case? You're working from a checklist to map out a plan to avoid problems you don't have? Really? That's how you're going to spend your precious time on this planet? 


Indeed, that's exactly what she'd done. Thanks to her handy DNA data, statistically, she knew that people with her genetic markers had a higher percentage of a list of specific dreaded conditions. So, she'd gotten busy, researched the possibilities, figured out the preventive measures for each and had totally revamped her life accordingly. She had radically changed her diet, was taking a long list of interesting supplements, as well as doing a host of other things. 


Now, as you know, I am all for healthy choices and making changes that need made. Knowing that heart disease runs in your family, and living a heart-healthy lifestyle because of it, is great--essential even, for everyone! Going looking for something to worry about it a completely different animal. 


If you sit around thinking about how people with high stress levels get hives, and since you've got a lot of stress, you hope you don't get hives, you're actually increasing your chances of breaking out in hives.
Instead, if you acknowledge your stress and focus on positive ways to relieve it and manage what's causing it, you create very different thoughts. You see very different scenarios playing out. Instead of hives, your positive view spurs creative thinking, which creates solutions, which relieves stress. 


If genetic testing sounds like the thing for you, go for it. There are probably good reasons why it makes sense for some people. Just remember that whatever you focus on you get more of, so choose wisely.
You can spend your time worrying about all the things that might go wrong and distract yourself with planning what to do about them. Or, you can stop the nonsense and get busy living!



* * * * *

Paula Renaye is The Tough Love BFF Coach, empowerment speaker and five-time award-winning author. Her new book, Living the Life You Love--The No-Nonsense Guide to Total Transformation will be in stores in September. Read more at http://paularenaye.com

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Books Sold - 6 Nov 2011 to 31 May 2012

Some of you have asked me for my total number of books sold to evaluate KDP Select so here it is. Bear in mind, that results will vary based on genre and author. Good luck and remember, Keep Moving Forward.

Total - 120,836

1. Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out
Amazon Kindle - 42,559
Paperback -
Smashwords -

2. Frequent Traveller
Amazon Kindle - 35277
Paperback -
Smashwords -

3. Dora's Essentials - Books, Blogs & Smiles 1
Amazon Kindle - 462
Smashwords -

4. Mirror Me Martha (Short Story)
Amazon Kindle - 281
Smashwords -

5. Drive On Hope (Short Story)
Amazon Kindle - 190
Smashwords -

6. Blog-A-Licious Directory 2012
Amazon Kindle - 1
Smashwords -

7. Pandora's Reading Room 1
Amazon Kindle -
Paperback - N/A

8. The Cat That Barked (Short Story)
Amazon Kindle -

9. Dora's Essentials - Examining Anxiety
Amazon Kindle -

10. Dora's Essentials - Books, Blogs & Smiles 2
Amazon Kindle -

11. Elevenses from Around the World
Amazon Kindle -

12. Genetically Modified Foods vs. Sustainability
Amazon Kindle -

Blog-A-Licius - Sherbet Blossom

SherbetBlossom

Blog-A-Licious

Dealightfully Frugal

Blog-A-Licious - The Few, The Proud, The Wife

Blog-A-Licious

My Soul Slippers

Blog-A-Licous - Textbook Mommy

Blog-A-Licious - Blue Frogs Legs

Blog-A-Licious - Pretty All True

Pretty All True

Blog-A-Licious - tbaoo

tbaoo

Blog-A-Licious

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Blog-A-Licious - The Invisible Art

Blog-A-Licious - Rediscovering Domesticity

Rediscovering Domesticity

Blog-A-Licious - Quiver Full

Blog-A-Licious - Cori's Big Mouth

Blog-A-Licious - Great Fun

Greatfun4kids

Blog-A-Licious - Busy Wife

Blog-A-Licious - Steps To Happiness

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Blog-A-Licious - Toby & Max


Blog-A-Licious - Amelie

Raising Amelie

Blog-A-Licious - Peas In A Pod

Blog-A-Licious - Riley

Blognostics - Poetry

BlogNostics

My Awards - September 2010

My Awards - September 2010
Awarded By Jo Frances

My Awards - May 2011

My Awards - May 2011
Awarded By Alejandro Guzman

My Awards - May 2011

My Awards - May 2011
Awarded by Kriti Mukherjee

My Awards - April 2011

My Awards - April 2011
Awarded By Roy Durham

My Awards - June 2011

My Awards - June 2011
Awarded By Sulekha Rawat

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